I know of an acquaintance that is thinking about buying a new Prius but has a couple of questions.

1 - Is the Vehicle Stabilization Control (VSC) worth buying the more expensive package?

2 - Is VSC available without the $2000 package?

Otherwise he was thinking about just getting the basic plus 650 for side
airbags.

Also
3 - Does the Prius come with two keyfobs?

4 - What does an extra keyfob cost?

 

Eric,
1. Mine has never kicked in for over 10,000 miles. From what I hear, it's most useful in snow or other harsh weather, but it is highly recommended by Consumer Reports (?) as a feature that should be standard in every vehicle.
2. http://www.toyota.com/vehicles/2005/prius/options.html
3. Yes
4. I heard something about $200-250, but I'm not sure

 

I view VSC and airbags in the same way:
Don't expect to use either, but I am hopeful my hide will be protected in the event of loss of vehicle control, or accident.

Cheap Insurance :-)

 

VSC is very worth it, especially in winter conditions. I would think gravel roads, too. It's so fast (the 'correction' of stability, braking and killing power to wheels) that you'd only notice if the light comes on on the dash. It's a great safety system that I knew nothing about before my Prius, but now can't see why one would NOT want it. To maintain control of your vehicle is pretty important to your safety and other drivers. If you've ever had that sliding/can't control feeling when hitting black ice or loose road surface (gravel or dirt on top of pavement, etc.) then you know it's a helpless feeling. This VSC system automatically adjusts things to straighten you and keep you from spinning or continue sliding. Simply amazing...tried it in a parking lot full of 3 inches of snow (with ice underneath). I could not get the car to go out of control. I was sold. In traffic, I've swerved once or twice in icy/snowy conditions and did not get the "omygod" feeling, just a brief, faster than I could blink, control of brakes and power and I was going straight. Get the VSC.

 

My fiancee's Scion has VSC. Her car suddenly went out of control on a snowy road despite her slow speed. The VSC kicked in and her car stopped of its own accord after a few inches. I've had the same experience. VSC is well worth it, IMO.

 

Thanks for all the feedback. I'm getting jealous that I don't have that option avaialable on my Insight.

 

Some time ago, I read somewhere that while VSC is now standard and mandatory in Europe while the Big 3 were saying VSC was nothing more than hype to make money. Nowadays, I'm seeing VSC under another name. Electronic stability or something like that.

 

I think the ESC is a large SUV mfg. (Ford, maybe Jeep is advertising it...?) They all have their different acronyms to describe similar technology.

It makes sense to help the driver maintain control with devices that offer WAY quicker responses and more importantly, appropriate actions. Like braking one wheel or reducing power to another. Not alot of us can do this on our own in a panic situation!

Actually I had a go-cart as a kid that you could brake with one wheel to CAUSE you to skid...

 

Is it just me, or do American manufacturers have a penchant for dismissing revolutionary technology because they don't want to implement it?